Washington: Prime Minister Narendra Modi is scheduled to leave for the United States on the September 26 and the tickets for his community reception at the Madison Square Garden in New York City is already sold out.
As per reports, the organizers of the event have announced that those who could not manage to get the tickets could gather at Times Square where the Indian leader's address would be broadcast live on a large screen.
The event is scheduled for September 28.
The Indian American Community Foundation (IACF), which is hosting the programme, said 18,000 free tickets have been distributed to various community organizations across America. The rest is for donors and invitees.
The seating capacity of the venue is 20,000.
The IACF is a platform of Indian organizations in the US.
The Madison Garden event would also be streamed online at www.pmvisit.org. Reports have said that it would have English subtitles and audio translation.
The emcee of the event will be Nina Davaluri. She is the first Indian-American to win the Miss America title in 2013. The event will be co-hosted by PBS news anchor Hari Sreenivasan.
At the same time, 400 organizations have also registered as 'welcome partners' for the reception for Modi. They range from NGOs to temples, student bodies, regional, ethnic, and linguistic associations and so on.
Adding to the occasion will be a laser light show, holograms of India's historical luminaries and live folk dances. PM Modi's speech will take place after these.
Many members of the United States Congress, Governors of sates and city leaders are also said to be attending the function.
The iconic Manhattan venue or MSG has hosted politicians, boxing matches, rock stars and a Pope in the past among others.
PM will be in New York City for three days before reaching Washington DC on the night of September 28th.
On Modi's itinerary while in US are the following - addressing the UN General Assembly, community reception in MSG, holding bilateral meetings with other world leaders including US President Barack Obama, visiting the 9/11 memorial, engaging with a Global Citizens Festival in Central Park and so on.
Modi, as chief minister of Gujarat, was denied visa to go to the US since 2005 over his government’s alleged failure to stop the 2002 riots in the state.
However, after Modi became PM, the US administration and Obama warmed upto him and have been wooing him with all their might.
Modi too seems keen to move on.
Modi also stayed in touch with the Indian community in US and addressed them via video conferencing.
